SR5 4WD Limitations

Hey everyone!
Very new to the community and just bought my first 4Runner.
I have been in love with them for years and finally pulled the trigger.

I didn’t feel the need to get a TRD package because I won’t realistically take it hardcore off roading.

however I would still like to know the limitations of a stock 4WD SR5. What should I steer clear of, and what could I realistically do if needed?

Hope the question isn’t too vague!

 

You will be fine in most situations without the TRD package.

 

That is vague but here’s what I’d recommend. Get 5 nice AT tires and take a one or two day off road driving class.

You’ll be surprised at how much your stock 4Runner can handle.

Enjoy
Mike

 

I almost bought an SR5P before I settled on my TRD ORP... and really the only reason I got the TRD is because it was CHEAPER than the SR5 I was looking at by $2000. Both 2023 brand new, but the Dealer was running a special on the TRD's. Dunno why.

So with that being said, I researched the SR5's a lot, and discovered that really with the A-Trac, decent tires, and 4 wheel drive system, its pretty much all you will ever need. There are some great videos of the A-Trac feature being demonstrated that you might want to check out on youtube. Im in Michigan, so no mountains or rocky terrain here, the odds of me using the crawl control and the all-terrain modes that come on the TRD model are slim to none almost. The SR5 would've been more than sufficient for me.

 

Pretty much the only limitation is the driver.

 

I’m sure the SR5 would have been more than sufficient for me as well. What I liked about the TRD ORP was it has an actual 4WD shift lever instead of a dial.

 

A-Trac is more than enough. Get skid plates and KO2s and don't hesistate to bruteforce your way over obstacles.

 

If you smell s#$t and hear breaking glass, don't go there. Off road is a selling point and package. Tires, shocks and you can go anywhere any off road model. I wanted one to but my Limited will go everywhere I need to and a few places I shouldn't. On YouTube a 2010 $8500 went everywhere the $50k TRD off road did. Crawl for mud is only thing I would be interested in. I buy used and I like as little technology as possible for reliability. I'm not rock crawling and I don't want to engineer it into something I don't like driving everyday.

 

If you take your SR5 here, rest assured you will do better than the Ford Craptor

https://youtube.com/shorts/YDxiMr3xuxo?si=OX46qGwfV_sA428h

 

Picture on Facebook 4runners club of a new Bronco tied to a 4th gen V8. Both have big tires but 4runner drove off with him and his wheels going other direction. Something to be said for having a$$.

 

I thought about building a plywood skid for spare so I can skip and bounce if I need to. I don't really want to pay $hundreds on something nice. Trac is so impressive and has saved me in awd several times. It knows what I am doing before I do. It's good to flip your wheel over to for tpms sensor and shallow side down so it doesn't scoop as much mud or get hung.

 

Or you can remove the spare and mount it on the roof. I carry two spares so one has to stay under the truck.

 

I have a fetish for steel I love my RCI steel skid plates

 

I’ve been off-roading for over 20 years with just basic 4wd Tacoma, no lockers or traction aids. Now 5+ years with a stock SR5 climbing steep loose rocks in 4H.

All you need is good tires matched to your environment.

 

What kind of miles do you get out of those tires? They make a 265/60-20 I was looking at but I like Bridgestone Dueler Revo 3s. I was have to go to a 275/60-20 which is 33". I don't want load range tires either. They suck gas and no mileage warranty. Otherwise a 275/55-20 is 31.9" and I have 31.6" now. I can't afford wheelchair but I like my 20s and especially if it has a lighter sway bar they will give more of what I am used to handling. I think 55 is just a little wide on my wheel. To much tire on to little wheel makes them wear funky and drive with a little wallow from to wide tire on to narrow a wheel.

 

Good tires and a driver. I been doing it for 40 years and we just pointed and went with a Ramcharger and put in 4wd before you get stuck. They sink when they quit moving.

 

Yuck! I hate mud. I try to stay off our trails if they’re soaked.

 

I am on 285/75/R17s that are 33.8 inches. With skid plates and a tire on the roof I am getting 14 mpg.

 

A-TRAC is underrated as f*ck in the SR5 models.

 

I bought the TRD for this

 

When are they not soaked in WA where I live?

 

Yupppp. I have been using A-Trac only in my TRD, it is pretty aggressive and quick

 

That’s what I miss, My Tacoma was all manual. To me, the SR5 would be perfect if it had the manual 4wd shifter. So far the electronic shifter has been fine.

 

Yeah I don't live at home and I'm retired. I like but I will tear up what I have first. I don't necessarily like spending money to look like I go off road like most off road models I see here. I would rather be discreet and just go and stack mud on it and bring off road back with me. Grab I don't go places my 3rd gen would. I didn't think anything about taking it anywhere. This 4runner is pretty nice and after driving Dodges for years, I appreciate being able to ride trails or mud and not have to repair anything, but this one doesn't fit in Razor trails like my 97. I wish this 4runner had same 4:10 gears. I was wondering if Tacoma front and rear differential fit in 4runner? Tacoma and Tundra have 4:30s which would be perfect. Manual Tacoma anyway, not sure on automatic. Third gen 4runner sports and 1st generation Tacoma 4door had 4:30s. I think its about how much CO2 your engine puts out at speed than pollution. I think pickups have different emissions standards than suvs. A 4:30 in a 4runner with a 6-8 speed auto and V6 I bet would get mid 20s. The new Highlander 4cyl turbo gets worse mileage than older V6 models from what I read.

 

It's a little unnatural turning a knob on the fly. I like a shifter to and I liked the button on my 97. I guess it will be voice activated before long. I had to read manual about the knob and shifting on fly.

 

Does your computer operate everything or you still get input? I have watched on YouTube but I guess need to try it. I don't really do anything with AWD except point the wheel. Probably better for my old tired self.

 

I don't have to do anything. A-Trac senses a wheel in the air and aggressively applies the brake. I think there are A-Trac sensors in all 4 wheels.

 

Is abs sensor wire and atrac wiring the same wire?
YouTube had me remove what I believe to be these via 10mm while working on UCA's

 

The ABS has four channels

 

Right but those four channels are distributed elsewhere and are just one channel at each wheel no?